Teat dilator



Feb. 28, 1933. w g BEEIBE 1,899,492

TEAT DILATOR Filed 001:. 24, 1929 Fig.6. Fig.2 t

" WauZLBeebe I abkomaq Patented Feb. 28, 1933 Uldll D STATES wean L. BEEBE, or sit. RAUL, inna-sown 'TEAT nrna'ron;

Application filed October 24,1929. Serial No. 402,094.

My invention relates to a dilator wherein it is desirable to dilate the udder of a cow and to provide means for holding the dilator in place so that it will not be easily lost out after it is placed in the udder. My dilator is of a peculiar construction and is adapted for use to dilate the udder or teat of a cow and also to medicate the same to overcome any possibility of infection. My'dilator is 0 used as a retainer or medicator, being impregnated with medicated salve. It is also a feature of my dilator to provide a construction wherein the'same may be readily inserted into the udder and to pro- 715 videa retaining means in the shank of the same which holds the dilator in place.

The invention further includes a dilator of a construction wherein the same is provided with a flat-like finger engaging end oppositely disposed to the pointedor slender inserting end directly back of which the retaining means is formed. Inxusing my dilators I find them to be of a very practical nature because they may be inserted in the cows teat orudder and are held against easy disengagement therefrom. Heretofore dilators have been employed but they have slipped out too. readily and would not be retained by the teat or udder long enough to be effective for the purposes for which they were designed. My construction of dilator overcomes these disadvantages and the body,

or core of the same is made of a fiexiblematerial which may be made up ofa series of cords closely adj acenteach other about which a suitable wax-like covering extends which becomes pliable from the heat of the animals body but not soft enough to slough away. The dilator may be medicated by dipping the same into a medicated substance which has a nature to congeal and adhere to the outer surface of the dilator which also facilitates the-insertion of the same owin to its oily nature.

These features together with other objects and details of my dilator will be more fully and clearly set forth in the specification and claims. In the drawing forming part of my specificat1on:

Figure l is a side view of my dilator.

Flgure 21s, a new of mydilator or medica- 'tor as seen at right angles to Figure 1.

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional detail on the line 3-3 of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a side viewof my dilator of a slightly difierent structure than illustrated in Figure 1. v

Figure 5 is a side view of Figure 4, the view being taken at right angles to Figure 4.

Figure 6 illustrates another-form of my dilator. I I

Figure 7 illustrates an edge view of F igure 6. v

In the drawing my dilator A is constructed with an inserting point 10, a retaining shoulder 11, and an elongated shank portion 12.

At one end ofthe shank 12 I provide a flat finger. engaging portion 13 extending from the shank 12- Obviously the shank 12 may be of any suitable length and may be of a shorter nature than illustrated, if it is de-' sired. g

The dilator A is constructed of a series of flexible cord members 14 which are adapted 5 i to form the core of the dilator and which I extend longitudinally throughthe same.

These cord members 14 may be twisted about each other in a manner to form the core of the dilator or extend parallel and adjacent to each other to form the. longitudinal core in the dilators A. The cordfmembers 14 are covered and impregnatedby a suitable waxlike material 15 which forms theouter smooth surface of the dilator and thiswax-like material is of a: natureto soften sufiiciently to i permit the dilator to be somewhat pliable. Thus when the dilator A is inserted in the udder or teat of a cow it will softensufliing 15 will not become so soft as to slough away5 and thus materially'change the shape of the dilator A. I 4 a In use my dilator A is designed to overcome features of .dilators used heretofore such as the dropping out of the dilator from the teat orudder shortly after it has been placed 7 a in the same. I accomplish this by theshoulder or retaining portion 11 which is positioned back of the pointed end 10 suificiently to cause a shoulder about which the muscle in the opening of the udder constricts sufliciently to hold the dilator from slipping out.

Owing to the fact that my dilator or medicator must be made with a shank 12 of sufficient length and having a comparatively small diameter it is essential that the shoulder or retaining portion 11 also be of a small nature and not too large,yotherwise it would be injurious to the udder and not serve to function in the manner desired. It will therefore be readily apparent that the proportions and dimensions of the dilator are extremely important and the proper proportioning of the parts is an essential feature of the same as is also the placing of the shoulder and the proportions thereof which is adapted to retain the dilator in position in the udder. My dilators A accomplish these results in a very desirable manner. In Figures 4 and 5 I have illustrated the shoulder 11 formed by squeezing flat portions 16 in the sides of the shank 12 back of the point 10. Thus the enlarged portion or shoulder 11 is formed in the shank 12 which retains the dilator in proper position in the udder. p

In Figures 6 and 7 I have illustrated the pointed end 10 of the udder dilator formed slightly diflerent than the other forms of dilators. In this construction the pointed end 10 is flattened out with side flanges or ribs 17 which bulge out on either side of the center rib 18 which extends from the body of the shank 12 to the extreme apex 19 of the point. This forms an arrow-headed dilator with a reinforcing rib portion 18 and the outer projecting flanges 17 which form the shoulder 11 which holds the dilator A from sliding out of the cows teat after it has been placed in the same. 7 It will also be noted that in the form of th dilator illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 that a center rib-like portion 20 extends between the pointed end and the shank 12 so as to form a reinforcing rib-like portion 20 be tween the flattened flanges or ribs 16. This rib 20 on either side of the dilator A strengthens the same so that the point 10 will be held sufficiently rigid to permit it to be inserted through the opening in the cows udder to place the dilator in proper position.

The flattened finger engaging portion 13 prevents the dilator from being inserted too far into. the udder or it creeping up into the same and also provides an easy engaging end for the same. It 'is important that the reinforcing members 14 are spread out flatlike in the end 13, as illustrated in Figurel, and thus the end 13 is reinforced in a continuous integral portion with the'body of the structed with the retaining shoulder 11 to hold the dilator in place, are inserted through the opening in the cows teat or udder. They are then held against free disengagement therefrom by the shoulder portion 11 so that thedilators will remain in the cows teat a sufficiently long period between milkings to operate as a dilator. The dilators A are formed either with a medicated wax-like material 15 which impregnates the core 14 or they may be dipped into a medicated salvelike substance before they are inserted to fully protect against infection and to tend to heal any irritated or inflamed udder.

The dilators A may be made or a rubber or other similar material having a pliable nature and yet being firm enough to maintain the shape to perform the functions herein set forth.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described the principles and structure of my dilator and while I have illustrated particular formations of the same, I desire to have it understood that these are only suggestive of a means of carrying out the invention and that the same may be accomplished by other variations and applied to uses other than those above set forth within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A dilator including, a core portion made up of a multiplicity of flexible strands, a waxlike impregnator and coating substance extending over said strands, an enlarged retaining shoulder portion formed in the shank of said dilator, a pointed inserting end, and a flattened finger engaging end having said strands spread out to form a reinforcing through said flattened end.

2. A flexible dilator including, a thin rodlike shank portion, a pointed inserting end, retaining shoulder means formed in said shankby flattening a portions of said shank to flare outwardly, and a longitudinal rib between said flat shank portions.

3. A dilator having a flexible thin body shank, an inserting end, a shoulder formed in said shank by flattening a portion thereof, and a strengthening rib extending from the body of the shank to the inserting end past the shoulder portion.

4. A dilator and mcdicator for an udder having a flexible wax-like nature, a thin body shank, an arrow-like head formed on one end, and a longitudinally extending flattened linger engaging portion formed onthe opposite end.

5. A dilator and medicator including, a core portion made up of a multiplicity of flexible strands, a wax-like impregnator and coating substance extending over said strands, a pointed inserting end, and a flattened finger engaging end having said strands spread out to form a reinforcing through said flattened end. i

' WARD L. BEEBE. 

